An Apocalyptic Life
by LolitaLocket
Summary: "Angel, do you really think she's got a chance?" - Yejara is a 14 year old girl, doing her best to survive in an Apocalypse. Originally, she thought this would be her chance to start anew. However, things didn't really go as she had planned...
1. Safe At Last

_** -Chapter 1- **_

_**-Safe at Last-**_

"_Hello... Hello? Angel, you really think she's got a chance? She looks ready for death to me..."_

I could hear the voice around me, but it was muffled. It sounded quite girly and young, but I could've been wrong. Slowly, I opened my eyes a little. My eyelids felt heavy, but still I managed to wearily glance at the two girls standing over me, both presumably in their mid-twenties. The one nearest, who was checking my temperature I think, looked rather pretty with a long blonde ponytail drooping over her shoulder. Her hair was clotted with dirt and dust, but that was the usual now I suppose. Apart from that, she seemed motherly. I could see that sort of glint in her eye... it was calming, especially as I was extremely frightened right now. I mean, wouldn't you be scared if you're whole body felt numb and these two random people you didn't know just wandered up to you? Oh yeah, my body. To be blunt, I literally felt like I couldn't move. Whether that was my brain being lazy or the actual truth, I don't really know.

"Oh! She's awake... Her eyes are open, that's good, right?"

The same voice spoke, her voice a bit clearer now, and it belonged to the girl further away. She was perched on the edge of what I later found out was my new bed for the next two months, twisting a strand of curly golden brown hair in her fingertips. Her voice had an ounce of hope the second time she spoke, not like the first time when it sounded full of anxiety. In response to her question, the blonde-haired girl nodded without turning around to face her partner, instead just smiling reassuringly at me. Then, she spoke too. Her voice definitely sounded older and a lot more content like nothing worried her.

"What's ya' name kid?"

She stared at me intently with quizzical brown eyes while waiting for an answer. I did try to immediately, but the only thing that came out of my mouth was the sound of my ragged breathing. After coughing a couple of times, I tried again. Seems the coughing worked, as I managed to quietly mutter my name after.

"Yejara."

The blonde-haired woman smiled warmly once again at me, pleased she'd gotten an answer it seemed.

"Yejara, eh? I think I 'eard a Scottish accent then Laurie! She's a bit far from 'ome ain't she? Poor girl... You want anything pet?"

I think the next few things she said were supposed to be friendly conversation, but I wasn't really paying attention to her or 'Laurie'. Nope. I was too busy eyeing up my new placement. It looked quite old, the room I was in. The walls were bare... well, except for the odd strands of peeling wallpaper. It was a long room, with actual beds down either side. I'm guessing it used to be an old hospital ward, as scraps of medical equipment were laden over the floors. You know the sort of things I'm on about: breathing tubes, monitors, those things they use to resuscitate people. The windows on the wall opposite me were smashed, a couple of them covered with wooden boards. Still, most of them were covered by gloomy tattered curtains. And hey, at least the roof was still intact! For saying this was the apocalypse, it seemed these girls had found a pretty good place overall. My sight-seeing however was interrupted by the blonde-haired girl yet again. I'm guessing she did all the talking to the bewildered people like me. She must have taken my silence as a 'no' to her last question, and so carried on with her interrogation. "How old are ya' Yejara?"

I answered her quickly this time, my voice easing up a bit now each moment I spoke.

"Fourteen."

Both girls looked at each other and then me, an... uncomfortable look on their faces. I felt slightly intimidated if I'm being honest. Yet, both of them shared a caring smile with me again before the brown-haired girl (who I presumed was Laurie) stood up and gestured around her. I just managed to tilt my head to the side to see what she was doing but the pain that shot through my neck at that moment was almost unbearable.

"So, err... welcome Yejara! I know this isn't the best place in the world, but I'm Laurie and this is Angel. We're part of a group we formed voluntarily to help out the, errm, less fortunate of the apocalypse? Basically, if you're under eighteen and in a state, we're here to help get you back on track."

The way she announced it was like something off those cheesy adverts on the television. It was definitely rehearsed, but it did the job. So, this place was like a children's hospital, but with less of the technical stuff and no nurses? There didn't seem to be anyone else either except for these two stood before me; the place felt desolate, but I wasn't in a state to argue. Actually, I wasn't in any sort of state to do anything by the looks of it. You see, I'd spotted a small cracked mirror on the bedside table of the bed next to mine. I was not a pretty sight. As I was being propped up by several pillows, I could see most of my top body: all the way down my arms, my face and chest. I didn't know where to start... My long auburn hair was mattered and dirty, my overgrown fringe blood-clotted and sticking to my skin. Under my right eye there was a slash that ran over my cheek, the blood slowly dripping from the tip. No wonder it hurt so much to open my eyes. There was dried blood all around my nose too; the remains of a nosebleed. On the part of my arms that was revealed I could just see bruises, and I bet it was the same under my sleeves. And well... my purple baggy shirt was covered in damp blood patches just about everywhere. Now I understood why everything felt so weak and numb.

Angel must have noticed me watching my reflection and put her hand on my shoulder, causing me to turn my head back around to her. She gave me that same reassuring look she had earlier and tried to explain to me.

"Hey, it's not as bad as it looks. Most of it's just dry blood y'know, the cuts are quite small but deep. But yeah, it's gonna 'urt to move an' that for a while. I think you've either sprained ya' ankle or fractured ya' leg too, so don't think about walkin' in the time bein'."

I nodded to her. There wasn't much else I could do but accept it, was there? It wasn't like if I closed my eyes and wished hard enough it'd all just magically get better. It hadn't worked any other time in my life, so it wouldn't now. I couldn't even manage to be optimistic at this very moment. This apocalypse wasn't the 'fresh start' I'd planned for.

Oh, the apocalypse. Let me fill you in on that. It started around two months ago when the sun shattered, just like that. Masses of the sun just disappeared overnight, with only the faintest glimpses left now. You can't see the moon at night anymore, just small, twinkling stars. There isn't daytime or night time anymore either. The sky is a dull navy colour throughout the day; the stars are the only sign of night approaching. Because of the sun, you don't see many plants around either, just thick, dusty wasteland where forests used to be. Even cities are starting to look similar. And the people? Well, they've sort of lost all links to humanity as it was. You don't have good or bad anymore. People just scavenge for their food - money is useless. Everyone carries weapons in case of a rebel group attacking you. I mean, I'm fourteen, and I carry two small daggers with me everywhere. No one has a home anymore. You see somewhere that looks good for a decent night's sleep? You just claim it. I've slept in many abandoned houses in the past couple of months; in places that used to be someone's bedroom... it's horrible. But that's life now.

Back to Angel. She still didn't seem happy enough to leave me by myself yet, and so she began asking more questions. Laurie didn't move from her spot either, instead just watched me intently. I'm guessing she wanted to hear all the answers straight from my mouth too. "So, do ya' know what 'appened to ya' Yejara?"

I looked at both girls blankly as Angel quizzed me. Of course I knew what had happened! Well, what I _presumed_ had happened. I mean, the last thing I remember fully was me screaming with my 'rescuer' pinning me against a wall. It was pretty easy to guess what had taken place in the time that followed. He'd more or less made it clear what was going to happen before he knocked me unconscious anyway. Just thinking about it made me shiver and brought tears to my eyes. I could feel them trickling freely down my cheeks as I stuttered an answer back to the pair.

"I-I was, err... beaten up. By this... guy. He rescued m-me from some raiders; I thought he was nice..."

I couldn't look the girls in the eye as I spoke. I must have seemed so stupid to them – a young girl trusting a stranger she'd never met. Angel pulled herself closer and cuddled me gently, taking the mother's role in this situation. I could feel her stroking my head too and couldn't help but lift my limp arms around her and cry into her shoulder. "He told me... what he was going to do. B-but I... I can't remember most of it..." I finished, losing my voice. All I wanted to do was sit there and cry into Angel's shoulder. She tried to ask me what I meant by 'what he was going to do' a couple of times, but I shook my head in fear and burst into another wave of tears, unable to even mumble the answer.

"I'll let you handle this. I'm going to go sort out the young'uns next door." Laurie whispered quietly. I didn't see her leave because my head was still nestled into the shoulder of a very comforting Angel. I just heard her footsteps down the corridor of broken tiles, followed by the creaking of a door swinging open and small, childish voices shouting 'Auntie Laurie!' The door slammed shut seconds after, the screaming toddlers blocked out. This made it apparent that this was the older kid's room. With Laurie's disappearance, Angel pushed me away lightly. She placed her hands on my shoulders, trying to look me in the eyes. Her tone had become a little more serious than last time she had spoken. I think she was getting annoyed with me.

"Yejara, what did he do to ya'? Look, if ya' tell me, I can 'elp ya'. If ya' don't tell me-"

"You'll throw me out? Force it out of me? What?"

I didn't mean to be so harsh like that: shouting abruptly at her. But it just came out. In my mind, I was still distressed about this whole ordeal. I think giving me that decision just hit a nerve or something and I reacted to it. Ashamed, I looked away, waiting for something awful to happen to me for my mistake. But it didn't. Instead, Angel let go of my shoulders, running a hand through her tangled fringe in frustration. Without her support I felt a rush of pain through my stomach all the way up to my neck. I yelped quietly before lowering myself back down onto the mound of pillows, the pain dying down just laying there. My yelp caused Angel to stir from her daydream she'd gone into and stare at me, producing a long sigh before finishing her sentence I so rudely interrupted.

"...If ya' don't tell me, Yejara, I can't 'elp ya' as much as I want to. I'm not gonna throw ya' out or force ya' into tellin', but I won't think any diff'rently of ya'. 'Kay?"

"Okay."

The retort of hers was really unexpected. All I could muster was to feebly smile and say that two-syllable word. Angel finally averted her gaze from me as I said it too, a relieved expression appearing on her face. I still wasn't going to tell her anything. I, at this moment, didn't feel ready to. Come on, put yourself in my position. When I close my eyes, I can see my 'rescuer's' face, this malicious grin spread wide over his lips. That image is emblazoned into my mind forever; I may get over it, but I'll never forget it. Anyone can see how scared it makes me feel by my trembling hands. Still, until it happens to you, you'll never be able to put yourself in my shoes.

Another minute or so of awkward silence, and Angel must have realised I wasn't revealing anything else for today. She looked around the room for some inspiration for a conversation starter, but her big brown eyes finally rested on me. I didn't know how popular a few slashes and bruises would make me! Well, I knew it hurt more than I expected, but it's the price I paid for this attention. Angel bounced up into a standing position, yawning and stretching her arms behind her back. This gave me a lovely – however not really appreciated – view of her very streamlined figure. She was really pretty... I wonder: how did she keep up that look in the apocalypse? Angel walked down the side of my bed until she reached a shabby curtain hung up on a rail fixed to the wall. I hadn't noticed this before, but each bed had a rail quite high up that went around them, fixing into the wall on each side of the bed so you could pull a curtain across for privacy. That is exactly what Angel did with mine, cutting my little area off from the rest of the room. Then, she seemed to rummage under my bed before emerging again, throwing a muddy, old rucksack at me.

"Found it next to ya' in the ditch. Guessed it were yours, cus it's got pictures in it." she smiled thoughtfully. I think seeing that bag was the first thing that made me even a little excited since I woke up. Forgetting the pain in my arms I pulled it towards me, flipping the top open and pulling out a velvet black choker with a cross hanging from it. I put it on immediately, not wanting to be parted from it again. It's the last reminder I had of my mother, apart from my memories. My mum... the only person to ever love me and care for me. It had been hers, as we were a Christian family. But before I left, she gave it to me. I thought I'd lost it. Angel chuckled. "C'mon. I found some spare clothes in there earlier when I was lookin' through it. Why don't we get ya' cleaned up an' ya' can put them on? Plus, I wanna 'ave a look at your leg an' ankle to see if ya' okay. I used to be a nurse before this mess started, so you're in good 'ands."

It wasn't my choice to decide, whether it sounded like it or not. I grinned as I realised Angel had planned all of this beforehand to get her way. Sneaky, but effective. Slowly I nodded my head in agreement at her, pulling myself up and perching on the side of the bed, my legs dangling carelessly over the side. Moving around hurt a tremendous amount, and I really wanted to scream but I had to just stay calm; I was safe now. Although, sitting up like this meant I could see the huge bruises on my legs too through the holes in my torn jeans. Plus, my left ankle looked quite swollen from this angle. Great, more injuries for me to discover. Angel helped me sit up before rushing off outside the curtain, returning a minute or so later with a small, battered blue case in her arms. She dropped it down next to me on the bed, causing it to emit a very worrying crack-like noise. Then, she flung the top open, pulling out an array of medical pads and bandages. "I'll start with ya' face. If it stings, tell me, yeah?" She instructed, covering a small cotton pad with some clear liquid from an ancient looking bottle. I braced myself as the freezing cold pad touched my face, flinching from the temperature. As the initial chill faded though, it actually became quite soothing with Angel just cleaning all my cuts. Apparently I had not only the huge, deep slash on my cheek, but a large gash in my forehead where I'd probably been hit with something. Angel thought it might have been why I was unconscious when she found me. Once she'd cleaned it though didn't look half as big as previously; it looked like a small, red spot hidden by my fringe! I already looked better with just my face free from blood.

Angel carried on disinfecting all the wounds I had for a while. I know this sounds perverted, but at one point I was just sat in my underwear as she carried on. I felt embarrassed then, but every time I asked if I could do it she insisted she should do it or I'd probably cause more harm than good. I couldn't argue. When she'd cleaned all the ones over my chest and stomach, Angel wrapped a huge bandage around me. I looked like one of those Egyptian mummies. All my middle was covered in off-white material which was really hard to breathe in. The one on my forehead had a big cotton pad medically taped over to stop it from bleeding and the odd cut we found on my lower leg was bandaged too. Angel seemed pretty glad with her work as she admired me before tossing my spare clothes over from my rucksack.

"All done with ya'. Your ankle is fractured I think, but with no x-rays I can't be sure. For now, don't attempt even walkin', okay?" she smiled as I quickly pulled on a white strappy top and a new pair of skinny jeans. Before I could answer however Angel had pushed my curtain back against the wall and was already heading towards the creaky wooden door that Laurie had disappeared through earlier.

"Try to sleep Yejara. Ya' got a couple o'ours before we wake people up for breakfast."

That was the last I heard from her as her silhouette trotted off into the room down the corridor, the blue box swinging freely from her arm. What did she mean by 'people'? I looked around the room to see a girl with short black hair sleeping in the bed right near the rasping door, curled up in her blankets so only a little of her tired face was visible. No wonder I never noticed her. Also, in the bed four spaces down from me, there was an unusual lump tucked underneath the thin duvet sheets. I guessed that was some other kid stuck here too. Well at least I'd have friends here... hopefully; that question would be answered in due time. I carefully lay myself down after my little investigation of the room, pulling the warm cover over me. Maybe it would be good here, with people supporting me and a load of new strangers to befriend. All I know is that everything changed a whole lot for me when Airen came along.


	2. A New Arrival

_**-Chapter 2-**_

_**-A New Arrival-**_

"C'mon ya' lot! Wake up or else ya'll be wearin' this porridge on your 'ead!"

I laughed at Angel as she entered our room, dragging a small food trolley behind her. It clanked as she stumbled over the cracked floor tiles, the plastic plates and cups wobbling precariously close to the edge in their little towers. She smiled to me as I pulled myself up ready for some food. I'd already been awake for a while, talking to Farah from across the room; she had come over to sit with me for a bit like she would sometimes in a morning.

Two weeks had passed since I arrived at this place. If I'm being honest, it felt like a lot longer. I already felt part of the family, and everyone accepted me too. It was brilliant! I found out that Angel and Laurie were the two main 'bosses' here: Angel took care of the teenagers and so I was a lot closer to her, however I loved talking to Laurie. She was so ditzy, it was unimaginable some of the hilarious discussions she'd start. She never failed to make me giggle, no matter how upset I felt. I'd also made friends with most of the kids in this room too, mainly a girl called Farah and a boy whose name was Ollie. They were the initial two people I met that next morning after I woke up on my first day. Farah had shoulder-length black hair, plus you'd never see her without her glasses perched on her nose. She was rather tall too for saying she was only a year older than me. Her bed was right near the big wooden doors. Farah was reserved, but yet when she did talk to me she seemed really knowledgeable. She had that more mature side to her that made her appear wiser I suppose. Ollie on the other hand was about the same height as me, but a year younger (I guess I was just a midget for my age). He was really mischievous and childish, but he had those big, innocent type of eyes that always made him so blameless for everything! There definitely wasn't a lack of character in this place anyway. It didn't even bother me that I couldn't walk for now, not with all these amazing individuals around me.

Angel approached my bed, handing me and Farah a tray before placing a bowl of porridge and a glass of orange juice on each. "Enjoy!" she chuckled as she moved on, gaining a mumble of appreciation from me and a silent nod from Farah. We always got stodgy porridge and a cup of fruit juice in a morning. Laurie had reminisced to me one time that when the apocalypse started Angel had rampaged through the local supermarkets as soon as it was possible stocking up on foods that didn't need much preparation to make a meal. Apparently she gathered truckloads, and it was all stored away in secret. She was really prepared for this mess.

I tucked into my breakfast, the lukewarm meal a nice way to start off another somewhat uneventful day. Well, I thought it would be boring. I don't think anyone was expecting Laurie to fling the rusty door open shouting Angel out the room, a distressed look clear on her face. Angel ran out immediately, abandoning the trolley in the middle of the corridor. In all the commotion Farah retreated back to her own bed like many other kids, leaving me on my own. The whole room was silent, everyone looking at each other in anxiety. We knew it was probably another person had been bought to the place, but still everyone looked around confused. Ollie finally broke the silence after a couple of minutes.

"Wha'cha thinks' going on? Do you-"

"I think someone's new here!"

"Yeah, me too."

"I wonder what state they must've been in for Laurie to rush in like that..."

The whole room burst into one big discussion at Ollie's comment; he seemed quite proud of himself to have caused such a heated debate. I stayed quiet, not wanting to butt in. A boy opposite me had already said what I was thinking anyway. There was always this sort of excitement when someone new arrived, I never understood why. Now and then I felt glad that it had been rather early in the morning when I was welcomed in. At least I didn't get all the hassle from nosy people around me.

Angel reappeared again shortly after the chat had died down in our room with a young boy as tall as her. He was limping, gripping onto her shoulder to support his own weight. He was well-built from what I could see, and his features weren't too bad either. The boy had messy chocolate brown hair with a long sweeping fringe, a pale turquoise scarf tied around his nose and mouth concealing most of his face from me. His clothing consisted of an armoured jacket (I think) with a t-shirt underneath and a pair of baggy, army green combats. That's when I noticed it: the blood. There was loads of it just trickling down his front, all coming from his stomach. The crimson trails were all over his hands too, dripping carelessly to the floor. Everyone around me was silent once again, all eyes on the newcomer. I wonder how he felt being watched like that...

Angel hurriedly led the boy to the bed on the right of me. He dragged his feet across the ground heavily as he followed her, soon perching on the edge of the bed that was nearest to me. As he moved his scarf dropped from his face, hanging loosely around his neck. I could see his face clearer now. He looked in serious pain to me, his teeth clenched as he growled in discomfort. The boy had piercing dark blue eyes with which he looked at me for a second before closing them tightly. He looked frightened... I could sort of understand why. I could hear Angel talking to him as she waited impatiently for Laurie to come and help her.

"It's alright Airen. Jus' calm ya'self down, yea?"

Airen... so that was his name. Sounded foreign to me, however I couldn't talk. My name wasn't a traditional English name either; my mother had got the idea from family abroad. She'd done that with all my siblings too.

Laurie eventually came in with the beaten blue box full of medical supplies. She was panting as she stopped right next to Angel, handing the case over before sitting down in exhaustion. What had she been doing out there...? Laurie was soon brought to her feet with orders from Angel to pull the curtain around the bed for privacy. As she passed me, Laurie grabbed my attention from the boy.

"Don't worry. He'll be alright. Cheer up, okay?"

A reassuring smile was flashed my way. "Smile! Don't look so distressed."

I must have looked really concerned for her to say that to me. Realising this, I looked the other way, gradually setting my tray on the floor. I lay down again and rested my head on my pillow, also pulling the warm covers over me. My intention was to go back to sleeping and just ignore whatever I could hear from the other side of the battered, stained curtain. My brain didn't agree with me unfortunately. I couldn't sleep; I just lay there watching the minutes pass, wondering what was going on. Ollie came to join me after about quarter of an hour and peeked over the edge of my quilt, his voice so quiet now it had reached a whisper.

"Jara, Jara, don't go nap now! Everyone's talking, don't you wanna join in?"

"Not really," I answered back, more lost in thought than concentrating on what he was babbling on about. He made a 'humph' sort-of noise and pulled a _really_ exaggerated upset expression before bouncing off across the way to talk to someone else. I sighed; why was he suddenly all excited about someone who could only be here because they were seriously hurt?

Just as he bounded off down the corridor Angel emerged from behind the white sheet of the curtain. I glanced over my shoulder at her before resting my head back down on the pillow. As soon as the clattering of the curtain being undrawn finished, the sound of pattering footsteps crowded around me. Well, the bed next to me. It seemed everyone in the room able to move had rushed over to see Airen. I could hear all the questions he was getting asked by everybody and all the introductions being made. Even Farah had headed over to see him, as I picked out her small 'hi' from the crowd of kids.

I still didn't turn around. Instead, with the knowledge that this boy was at least alive, I lowered my eyelids, soon drifting off into that weird, half-awake state. You know the one – where you still listen to what's going on around you, but at the same time it feels like you're dreaming or something? I don't know how to explain it. I just know I wasn't fully asleep because I can remember hearing everyone talking and laughing around me. I also remember Ollie (I guessed it was him) jumping onto my bed, wondering if I'd really gone to sleep. I'd mumbled to him to get off, but I don't know if he heard me.

I don't know how long passed while I was like this; an hour, an hour and a half? It was a ridiculous amount like that. I was getting drowsy as time went on, finally starting to feel tired enough to drop off back to dreamland. All the sounds around me were dimming and everything was gradually becoming more peaceful-

"Hey."

I swiftly opened my eyes at the remark, wondering who was rude enough to wake a sleeping girl. I listened out for the voice again. It wasn't a girl's voice, and it definitely wasn't Ollie's, so who else wanted me?

"Hey..."

I turned my head slowly to peer over my shoulder. Airen smiled at me from his bed. He was sitting up leaning against the wall, his eyes frozen on me. I was confused. I looked around behind me to glance if Angel or someone was there, but there was no one to be seen. Little by little I raised a limp hand, feebly pointing at my baffled face. Did he want me?

"Yeah, I mean you. Don't look so puzzled."

Airen chuckled. I didn't realise I was so funny... With the confirmation over I twisted myself around to face him completely, using my forearms to raise my upper body a little so I could talk to him. Airen grinned again. I noticed he had a short, goatee-like beard that just covered his chin. It suited him well in my opinion.

"You never introduced yourself to me earlier."

"Sorry. Just thought you'd appreciate fewer hassle."

I plumped the pillows up as I spoke, putting them against the headrest prior to me sitting up. I pushed the quilt away too so it just covered my legs now. Airen watched me every time I moved. Why he was so fascinated I don't know.

"I'm Airen. Airen Thomas. You?"

"Yejara Bell."

"Nice to meet you, Yejara."

Airen pulled another charming grin before it was quiet again between us. The awkward silence carried on for some time. Airen spent it looking around the room, admiring the small, scattered groups of teenagers chattering to each other. No one seemed to be taking any notice of him anymore; the novelty of the new toy had worn off at last. I just watched Airen as he gazed around. You see, starting conversations with near-enough strangers was really difficult for me because of my shyness. Once I'd become more friendly with someone I'd be fine, but with someone I hardly knew they'd have to even attempt talking to me if they wanted a reply. That personality trait was my entire sibling's fault.

I think Airen picked up on this fact rapidly as he turned to me again and, with his delightful smile, promptly threw another couple of questions at me.

"So, err, why are you here? What happened to you?"

He drew a line under his right eye with his finger as he spoke. I guess he was gesturing to the slash I had. I mumbled my answer to him, not able to look him in the eyes. It still really upset me, what had happened.

"I was... beaten up by this guy. Angel found me unconscious in a ditch somewhere. I'm sure you can work out why I'm here."

Airen shook his head. I sighed.

"Well it sort of hurts to move about, partly because I've got a huge bandage all the way across my stomach, and I can't walk anyway. My ankle's fractured supposedly."

Airen nodded, his eyes looking me up and down. His expression was sympathetic towards me, along with his tone of voice.

"You've got some nasty bruises there. And gashes. Whoever did that to you must've been a real twat."

I lifted my head to look at him as he said that, brushing my fringe aside. He seemed genuinely angry at my attacker. I'm grateful for that. I smiled weakly before replying, starting to feel a little calmer around him.

"Mhm... tell me about it. Hey, enough about me; what happened to you?"

Airen laughed loudly and rested both hands behind his head. He smirked mischievously at me before continuing.

"Ahh, it was nothing! Just a couple o' bruises and gunshot wounds. But, y'know, what do you expect if you get into a fight with raiders?"

He sounded like it didn't matter to him, even though he could have died because of it. It was just like any other day to him! Did he not care how serious it could have been? Without Angel and Laurie, Airen probably wouldn't have been alive right now. I tried to express this to him, but he just haughtily laughed it off.

"Yejara, don't worry! God, five minutes talking and you're already stressing out like you're my mother!"

That's probably because I care for your life, unlike yourself.

"Look, stop looking at me like that! I get it: I shouldn't be so careless. But how are you supposed to survive if you don't have a happy-go-lucky side, eh?"

I just gave up. I'm guessing the 'nice' Airen that I first spoke too was just an act to make me open up. The real Airen already seemed a lot more... big-headed. I looked away in annoyance, crossing my arms in frustration. Airen sighed and stood up, stretching towards the ceiling before trotting off down the corridor, hands in pockets. With him stood up I could see he had only been wearing his jacket since I started speaking to him (I'm just oblivious like that) and what I thought had been a top was a giant, beige bandage just like mine. Without turning to face me, he cheerily shouted 'See ya!' before turning the corner at one end of the corridor. Don't ask me where he was going. Frankly, I didn't care. At the moment, all I could think of was how stressful it was going to be having to spend I don't know how long next to this arrogant, egotistical man.

It would get better, right?


End file.
